How to Know if You Should Accept a Freelance Job

January 14, 2012

In freelancing, you will surely find too many jobs to choose from. There would also be many clients who would ask you to work for them. Some of them will even offer you a big payment for your job while there are also some that will give you lower than your usual pay. There are easy projects and harder ones where you have to learn a new technique. There are also different types of clients that you can work with. There are really a lot of jobs to choose from but would it be right to accept all of them?

The answer is no but the more concrete answer relies in you. For sure, you are happy to know that there are so many jobs waiting for you but not all of them are actually right for you. Today, we will give you a guide on how you would know which freelance job you could accept. This could help you to do away with undesirable occurrences and stressful situations. We are hoping that this article could help you decide the type of freelance jobs for you.

1. Asses client.

It is important to determine the kind of client you will have. Try to assess your client if he can be trusted and if could be the kind of personal you can work with. If you think that he is untrustworthy, then you better drop the freelance project. You would not like it if he doesn’t pay you the way you have agreed upon. Also, if you do not want trouble in dealing with him, then you better look for other clients. You can still be nice by referring the client to other designers whom you think would take the job.

2. Verify pricing.

It is of course important to know if you and your client have agreed on the pricing. If you are paid too low, a project might not be worthy of your time. But there are also some clients who pay too high. Just be sure that your output is impressive so that the clients will be convinced that you are worthy of such price. But if you are merely searching for work experience and you are willing to take a project even if the price is low, and then go get it. The decision still lies in your hands.

3. Check your availability.

It is not at all times that you have the time to work. There are instances when you are really occupied with so many works to do. Also, your schedule could be full of client meetings and some other tasks. Do not take a job when it can overlap your current schedule. Inform the client that you are busy at the moment. But if they are willing to wait until you can work on their project, then that is okay. Do not be greedy by accepting so many projects just to earn a lot even if you do not have enough time to work on it. It will only give a bad impression on you.

4. Ensure it leads to more network privileges.

As a designer, it is also necessary for you to have contacts with fellow designers and professionals. These people can give you great benefits like some advices on how to work on a particular design technique. Also, they can help you to have more work by referring some of their clients to you. They can help you open the doors for more work exposure. If you think that the freelance job knocking at your door right now can give you this benefit, then you can go get it.

5. Determine if you can meet the deadline.

There are some clients who want to have the project done in just a short span of time. Of course, he would be giving you a deadline to submit the final output of the design. To protect your name as a designer, you have to make sure that you have determined beforehand if you can finish the project on time. If you think that you could not do it, then do not accept the project. There are still so many freelance jobs that can suit your skills and time. So, make it a habit to always look into the deadline of a certain project.

6. Check if you are capable of doing it.

You are a flexible designer who can do different kinds of designing. But you are not an expert in all fields. When a client asks you to do something which you are not confident and capable of, it is better if you do not accept that. Although it would be a good learning experience but it might risk your career as a designer. You’d better be good at it first before you accept jobs in an area you are not really well versed at.

7. Ascertain it can help expand your work.

You would always want to expand your freelancing career by having more clients and by having better projects. Try to check a freelance job if it can help you for your future work. Sometimes, even without considering the price, when you have seen that a project can be beneficial for the expansion of your network and for the increase of your clients, you would still grab it. Nothing is wrong with that for as long as you have seen a clear benefit from it.

8. Know if can aid for personal development.

It would be good if you accept freelance jobs that can help you develop new skills and improve as a designer. Expanding your network and freelance job is different with personal development. Personal development is even more vital that any of these things for it is one great thing that cannot be taken away from you by anyone else. Your skills and talents will stay with you forever. For sure, there would be some projects where you can learn more while working on it.

9. Review your role in the project.

There are instances that the client expects you to do something for the project when it is no longer included in your role. In the first meeting, be sure to review all your responsibilities so that it would be clear to them what they are paying for. If you have agreed that you will only work on the design and they will do the printing, then repeat that to them for emphasis. But if you are having trouble with agreeing on this particular thing, it depends on you if you will still go on with the project. There are really clients who want you to do a lot of stuff for them even if they are only paying for one. To avoid misunderstanding, let them understand this aspect clearly.

10. Clarify if it qualifies to your work code.

Of course, there would be some principles and moral codes that you follow when it comes to your work. If the project does not fit to your standards then you can refuse taking it. You will not be able to work well on it and you will surely not place it in your portfolio.

It’s Your Turn Now

There are indeed different situations where you would need to stop and think if the freelance job is appropriate for you. The considerations given above are the most common things to be taken into account when making a decision regarding a certain job. But it may also vary from every individual. How about you? What are the things that you look into before accepting a freelance job?

It takes a lot of effort to be hired as a freelance contractor. You should prepare yourself to be ignored or rejected but it is good to know when there is someone who will trust to hire you because they see your potentials. Thanks for the guidelines that I may share with a friend who is planning to resign to our company and accept a freelance work instead.